Yuazu
by Mio-san
Summary: A collection of drabbles centered around the three regions of Japan and their misadventures in the house of their beloved onii-san. Rated T for safety, Asian family mischief and Hokkaido. Contains OCs!
1. Day 1 - Bickering

**A/N: _Ā, watashi wa Nihon ga daisukidesu…_**

**A bunch of mindless drabbles born of too much homework, an overdose of Vocaloid, and my chaotic, whimsical imagination, ranging anywhere from comedy to full-on feels. Our first: an introduction to the regions of Japan **_**and**_** our main characters; Honshu, Kyushu, Hokkaido, and Shikoku!**

**Quick note: _Italics_ means Japanese (or what Google Translate thinks is Japanese). Brackets _[example] _and italics are the English-Japanese translations (again, Google Translate, not me).**

**Enjoy, everyone~!**

…

**~Day 1 – Bickering~**

"Honshu. Honshu. Honshu. _Honshu_. _HONSHU._ Listen to me, God-dangit!"

Shikoku stamped his foot impatiently and tugged at Honshu's earbuds. "Hokkaaaaaiiiiiiido! He won't stop listening to those stupid Vocaloid songs! Make him pay attention to me!"

Hokkaido looked up from washing dishes in the sink. "Forget it, _omae wa jibun jishin o okonau koto ga dekimasu [you can do that yourself]_."

"_Taidana [Lazy]_," Shikoku muttered.

"Outcast," Hokkaido shot back.

"Suck-up."

"I am NOT a suck-up."

"Says who?"

"Says ME!"

"Well, that's not much being said, then…"

"Okay, that's just rude!"

"Oi."

Honshu had taken out his earbuds and was staring at them. "Are you guys gonna do that for a while? I don't really feel like being in a negative atmosphere."

"N—nega—?" Shikoku and Hokkaido gaped.

"Well, only if you start up again." Honshu yawned and put the earbuds back in.

As one, they pounced on him, Hokkaido practically diving over the counter, Shikoku with a war cry of "_Matsuyama no tame ni [For Matsuyama]!_" Honshu grunted in surprise and squirmed under the two regions, but their combined strength was too much for him, and together, they toppled over the back of the couch, falling to the ground with a loud _thud. _Shikoku pulled off Honshu's earbuds while Hokkaido flailed her arms wildly, smacking both of them in the head and initiating a yelp of protest from Shikoku.

"Oya, whose side are you on?" he yelled.

Hokkaido shrugged. "I dunno. I just want revenge."

"_Naze watashi wa on ni-ri de tachōjō shite imasu_ _[Why am I stuck with you two]?_" Honshu sighed, before falling back under Shikoku's assault.

They scuffled on the ground for a while before Shikoku claimed Honshu's iPod and scrambled away, clambering to his feet with a shout of triumph. Honshu easily shoved Hokkaido off, the latter's eyes still ablaze, and straightened. "You know," he said, a clearly pissed-off tone in his voice, "you could have just _asked _me to take my earbuds out."

"Well, would you have done it?" asked Shikoku pointedly.

"…"

Hokkaido slumped against the back of the couch, out of breath. "I knew it."

Honshu looked up. "What do you mean, you knew it? You just wanted revenge on Shikoku-kun."

"How do you know?"

"Um, you said it yourself, genius."

"Shut up, Koku!"

"I keep on telling you not to call me that!"

"Well, why do you think I do it anyway?"

"_Temee wa mendokusai [You're so annoying]_!"

"Oh, _I'm _the one that's annoying?"

"That's what I said, didn't I?"

"…I knew you would start again…"

"Not now, Honshu!"

Hokkaido clenched her fist. "You want to mess with the all-powerful Hokkaido, huh? _Kakatte koi [Bring it on]_!"

"Oh, you're making a big mistake, Hokkaido-_chan_!" Shikoku taunted, then dodged Hokkaido's enraged fist. "I was always Japan-nii's favorite!"

"Don't bring onii-san into this!" Hokkaido shrieked, and threw another punch at Shikoku. It hit him in the stomach and he doubled over, wheezing. "Ow… tha'… hur'… 'kaido…"

"Well, that was the po—" Hokkaido was promptly cut off as Shikoku stumbled into her and shoved her backwards, sending the northern region tumbling into the dining table. He laughed hysterically as she growled and raced at him, bowling over Shikoku and sending them both to the floor. Once again, the two younger regions were quarreling—and biting and scratching as they did so.

"I'm closer to Tokyo!"

"I have more natural beauty!"

"You wouldn't know beauty if it bit you on the face!"

"OUCH! You just bit me on the face!"

"HAHA!"

"God, you're so immature!"

"And yet nii-san likes me better!"

"DON'T BRING JAPAN-NII INTO THIS!"

"I'm sorry… did someone say my name?"

Shikoku and Hokkaido froze. Standing in the doorway was their nervous-looking little sister, Kyushu, and next to her was…

Honshu facepalmed.

Japan narrowed his eyes sternly. "What is going on in here?"

…

After several minutes of lecturing and a forced apology from Shikoku, Honshu and Hokkaido, Japan stood up and sighed. "If you all don't mind, it's about time for dinner, and if I don't begin boiling the rice now, the meal won't be ready in time."

"O-oh… ah… I'll make it, Japan-nii-san!" Kyushu raised her hand tentatively, her wide brown eyes sparkling. "Honshu-nii will help me, right, Honshu-nii?"

Hokkaido and Shikoku sniggered behind their hands—Honshu's one weak spot was Kyushu, and he wouldn't dare refuse her. The aforementioned region squirmed uncomfortably and tried not to meet Kyushu's hopeful gaze, as well as Japan's pointed stare. "Oh, alright," he agreed. "What about _nikujaga_? And I'll prepare some _sashimi _to go along with it."

"S-sounds good," choked Shikoku, who was currently almost in tears at their fellow region's confusion. "Y-you guys better go make that, now…"

"Ah—come on, Honshu-nii!" Kyushu's eyes lit up as she grabbed a flushing Honshu's hand and dragged him off to the kitchen, as Hokkaido and Shikoku dissolved into silent laughter. They halted as Japan shot them both a light glare, but couldn't hold it in, and Shikoku leaned into Hokkaido as the two of them fell victim to the throes of mirth.

"Really," the older nation scolded. "Once in a while you _must _behave…"

"_Gomen_, Japan-nii," gasped Hokkaido. "B-but the look on Honshu-kun's face… _gomen_, _gomenasai_…"

Japan's face morphed from irritated to flustered. "Honestly, you shouldn't laugh at your brother," he chided, casting a quick glance at Honshu and Kyushu, still rattling around in the kitchen. "Besides, I don't have favorites—"

"You heard that?" Hokkaido turned red.

Shikoku gave a cry of discovery. "_Aha_! Now's the best time as ever, I guess! Nii-san, who do you like better? Hokkaido-chan or me?"

"DON'T CALL ME HOKKAIDO-CHAN!"

Japan squirmed. "Ah… er… that really isn't for me to say…"

"Why not, Japan-nii?" Hokkaido actually looked curious. "There's got to be one you prefer _more _than the other." She fluttered her eyelashes at him. "C'moooooon, Japan-nii, Japan-nii…"

"Hokkaido, _ittai nani [What the heck]_?!" Shikoku recoiled. "That's creepy! Quit it!"

"_I'm _creepy?"

"That's what I said, didn't I?"

"Déjà vu…" mused Honshu from the kitchen.

"Stop it, both of you, _kudasai [please]_," Japan pleaded.

Shikoku smirked at Hokkaido. "Fine, but only if _she_—" said with a glare at said female region—"admits that _you_—" to Japan—"like me better."

"No way in living—" Hokkaido.

"Language!" That would be Japan.

Shikoku chortled. "C'mon, Hokkaido-chan!" he dared. "Admit it! I know you want to!"

"I already said no!"

"Well, you're no fun…"

"SHUT UP, SHIKOKU!"

"I already said no bickering!" Japan cried desperately.

"Don't worry," came Honshu's drawl from the kitchen. "They'll wear themselves out eventually."

"NOT NOW, HONSHU!"

…

**A/N: *facepalm* *facepalm* *facepalm* Google Translate is a fail. *facepalm* *facepalm* *facepalm* Japanese-speakers, don't kill me. *facepalm***

**Well, thanks to an unexpected three-day weekend, you'll be able to expect another chapter later today or maybe tomorrow. Thanks for reading, guys! Review, or I'll sic Hokkaido on you~!**


	2. Day 2 - Inquiring

**A/N: Yo, people!**

**So, before we get started, I want to get something cleared up. This is really just a little stress reliever fic for me, not to be taken seriously, not to be looked over critically. That doesn't mean I won't do my best…! but I hope you'll all just consider this something fun to read when you're bored, or need inspiration.**

**Well! Now that that's done with, on with the story!**

…

**~Day 2 – Inquiring~**

It was another normal afternoon at Japan's house.

"I wonder… what we'd be like as anime characters?"

…Not.

Hokkaido looked up at Shikoku, who was splayed out on the floor and staring up at the ceiling. "_Eto… osoreirimasuga [Um… excuse me]_?"

"You heard me," drawled Shikoku. "What we'd be like as anime characters. I wanted to know."

"Well, don't ask me," came Honshu's voice from across the room. He was sitting at the dining table, reading a manga, with his earbuds magically out of his ears for once. "That'd be some anime."

"O—oh, but…" Kyushu poked her head around the edge of the kitchen counter, where she had been preparing a snack. "I'm curious, too, Honshu-nii…"

"What's this about an anime?" Japan raised his eyebrows at the Japanese regions. He was sitting at the table across from Honshu, apparently absorbed by the piles of forms in front of him; obviously this did not apply any longer.

"Shikoku was wondering what we'd be like as characters in an anime," said Hokkaido absently.

"I CAN ANSWER FOR MYSELF!"

"Characters in an anime…" Kyushu trailed off. "Who would I be?"

"Eh… probably the cute, immature girl," snickered Shikoku. He sprung to his feet and slung an arm around the blushing Kyushu, whose especially large eyes and delicate yet complimentary frame did seem to fit the standard. "Kyu-chan'd be perfect for that!"

"What about Japan-nii?" asked Hokkaido curiously.

"_N—nani_ _[w—what]_?" Japan looked startled.

Shikoku put a finger to his mouth in thought. "Um… the quiet, introverted type, very polite, and a closet otaku."

"THAT'S JUST A DESCRIPTION OF ONII-SAN!" Hokkaido shouted, and Japan developed a sudden interest in the papers in front of him once more.

"Well, I can tell you one thing for sure," Honshu interjected. "I'd be the only sane one around here."

"Nah, of course not…" Shikoku crossed his arms, strolling over to the table where Honshu sat and grinned. "Our little tsun-tsun, for sure!"

"T—tsun-tsun?" stammered Honshu, while Hokkaido fell over in hysterics.

"Hey, you're not going to deny it!"

"I'm not 'tsundere'… Japan, back me up."

"W—well, I might have to agree with Shikoku-kun and Hokkaido-san on this…"

"Um… please stop fighting, _minna-san [everyone]_…"

Hokkaido got over her fit and sat up, sucking in huge breaths. "What… about… you… Koku…?"

"Don't call me Koku," snapped Shikoku.

"Fine."

Japan raised a finger. "_Ano [Um]_… I believe Shikoku-kun's character would be somewhat of an average main character, as featured in the school-themed anime."

Hokkaido chortled. "Oh, _average_, huh? Hear that, Koku?" She began to giggle hysterically once more. "_Average! Kami ni shōjiki [Honest to God], _are you _trying _to kill me?!"

"Don't _call _me _Koku_!" Shikoku growled, fuming.

"It's better than being called a 'tsun-tsun'," Honshu mused.

"W-well, that makes me curious," Kyushu voiced. "I suppose… we'd all look a certain way in an anime as well."

"Wouldn't we look the same?" Hokkaido managed. "Except for the animation, right?"

"Ha!" Shikoku snickered. "If _I _were in charge of making an anime like that, I'd _definitely _make you all look different."

"How so?" Honshu cocked his head with a flicker of interest.

Shikoku thought. "Well… you'd be taller," he said, pointing at the oldest of the four Japanese regions.

Honshu shrugged. "Alright."

"And… so would you, Japan-nii." Shikoku gestured to Japan, who turned bright red.

"I-I'm fine with that, _shōjikina tokoro [honestly]_," he stammered. "As long as everything else is normal."

"Okay, cool." Shikoku swiped a stray strand of dark hair away from his eyes. "And… I'd make Kyushu's eyes bigger," he added, examining Kyushu carefully. "And she'd be curvier. So would you, Hokkaido."

Both Hokkaido and Kyushu blushed almost as hard as Japan, though Hokkaido's was more in a fit of anger. "You little—!" she exclaimed. "How _dare _you!"

"What?" Shikoku smirked. "Let's be honest, we all think you'd be better that way."

"U-um… what does that me—" Kyushu was cut off by Hokkaido's muffled scream of rage.

"_You—have—no—proof!_" she shrieked furiously.

While Shikoku apologized, laughing, to Hokkaido, Japan sighed. He got up from the table and left the two younger regions bickering while Kyushu and Honshu looked on worriedly and exasperatedly, respectively. Slipping through the door to his room, the Asian nation locked it carefully and sat down at his desk, awakening the computer it housed.

Japan clicked on the file labeled "Project W.A." and drawings, animations, and scripts filled the screen. His most recent designs were on the very top, featuring himself and the Axis Powers posing on a bright orange background, which he found contrasted nicely with the rest of the colors.

"Now, Hetalia," he murmured. "Let's see what I can do with you today."

…

**A/N: I know it's short. I know it's pointless. I know it's a weird ending. Well, I'm sorry.**

**That's this fanfiction for you, though~ wild and random and crazy. Plus, I watched Hetalia: Paint It, White! today… so I'm a little fangirl-crazed at the moment (if you haven't already watched it, check it out. GREAT movie). R&R people and I'll see you next time!**


	3. Day 3 - Visiting

**A/N: Hey people! I'm back with the latest installment of Yuazu, and with it comes some of our very favorite Asians! **

**Also: no reviews so far, so I'll sweeten the deal! If you're willing, you can post a request along with your review for any scenario for the fanfiction! I'll take it into consideration, I promise~ just no lemons, limes, yaoi or yuri. That's just my policy, guys. Sorry. But anyway, your ideas could be featured in the next chapter, so hurry up and post post post!**

… **That sounded like an advertisement.**

…

**~Day 3 – Visiting~**

"_Minna-san_ _[Everyone]_, listen up, please!" Japan clapped his hands together for attention.

Honshu pulled an earbud out of his ear, while Shikoku and Kyushu looked up from their manga and Hokkaido peered over the kitchen counter. "What is it, onii-san?"

Japan sighed. "I just received an email. Apparently, some of my family is in town, and they'd like to stop by to say hello."

"Really?!" Shikoku sat straight up on the couch, startling Kyushu. "_Subarashī [Awesome]_! Who's coming?!"

The Asian nation looked pained at his enthusiasm, reaching up to massage his temples. "Well… you see… unfortunately China-san and Taiwan-san couldn't make it, but Hong Kong-san and Korea-san are stopping by later today." He swallowed hard. "In a matter of hours, I believe."

"That's wonderful!" Kyushu chirped. "How nice of them to think of us when they're in town."

Honshu exchanged glances with Japan and said, "I'm going out."

"What?" Everyone looked at him.

"Just to buy some CDs or something or other." The Japanese region got up from the table and slipped his earbuds back in. "I'll be back in a little while."

"W—wait!" Hokkaido stammered. "You can't just up and leave!"

"… Watch me." Honshu opened the screen door, stepped out into the garden, and shut it, strolling down the stone path.

Shikoku was the first to speak. "Well, that was pretty cold."

"You're telling me," muttered Hokkaido. "But I understand it."

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Is Honshu-nii coming back?" Kyushu asked, her brow furrowed with worry.

"Of course," Japan reassured her. "It's just a few errands, I'm sure."

Kyushu didn't look convinced, but she reluctantly returned to her manga, her dark brown eyes half-open. "Alright… oh!" She sat up straight, startling the two other remaining regions. "Shall I prepare snacks for when Hong Kong-san and Korea-san arrive?"

"That'd be… quite nice, _arigato [thank you]_, Kyushu-san." Japan sighed as the smaller region got up and hurried into the kitchen. "And you two—" he pointed to Hokkaido and Shikoku—"_please _don't bicker while they're over, _watashi wa monogoi o shite imasu [I'm begging you]_."

"Oh, don't worry about us, Japan-nii!" Shikoku chirped. "Hokkaido-chan and I'll be just fine, won't we, Hokkaido-cha—"

"_Tondemonai [Don't you dare]_…" Hokkaido growled, a dark aura surrounding her. Her eyes were glowing red and the tiniest hint of a fang poked out from behind her lip. "Unless you want to die, _tondemonai_."

Shikoku swallowed. "Eep!"

…

"Hey, Nihon! _Jiyeog [Regions]_! We're coming in, da-ze!"

South Korea's unmistakable voice echoed through the house, followed by a _thump _that was undoubtedly Hong Kong's shoes hitting the floor. Positioned by the entrance to the main room, Japan rubbed his temple, exhaling quietly, while Shikoku grinned eagerly and Hokkaido winced—she knew what it meant when the relatives came around, as opposed to the innocent Kyushu, who was standing stick-straight with a platter of carefully arranged _maki_, smiling sweetly as she typically did.

"We're in here, Korea-san," Japan called, his voice somewhat quieter than usual—if that was possible, and the three regions' smiles suddenly froze to their faces—as if they knew that it would be far less appropriate in the situation that was to follow—

"Yo."

There was Hong Kong, lounging by the doorway, a typical expression of bored indifference on his face—and Korea, hyperactive and ecstatic as usual as he pounced on Japan, a sight not Hokkaido, Shikoku or Kyushu would ever get used to. Doing her best to persuade the energetic Korean to back away from a very flustered and somewhat irritated Japan, Kyushu poked Korea's arm lightly, holding out the platter of _maki_. "Korea-san, _yōkoso_ _[welcome]_! Snacks?"

"Kyu-ssi!" Korea embraced the smaller region to her squeak of protest, sending the platter flying. Hokkaido dove to save it while Shikoku greeted Hong Kong, the two bumping fists as casually as two teenagers on the street. "What's up, Xiang?"

Hong Kong shrugged. "I guess Gramps let you guys know that he and Taiwan, like, couldn't make it, right?"

"Yeah, too bad," Shikoku mused in an imitation of the teenager's cool tone. "We've got some games and whatever in the living room, wanna check 'em out?"

"Okay, whatever." Hong Kong quirked his mouth as if to say, _meh._

"Shikoku, what in the gods' name are you doing?" Hokkaido hissed from the floor. "Are you _trying _to mock Hong Kong-san?"

"_Baka [Idiot]_, of course not!" Shikoku rolled his eyes as the aforementioned teen headed for the main room, stepping easily past Korea and Kyushu. "But I can't have everybody thinking I'm a little kid, right?"

"_Dono yōna koto wa nani demo shinakereba naranai nodeshou ka [What does that have to do with anything]_?" said Hokkaido exasperatedly.

Shikoku just rolled his eyes again, with a return to his controlled tone. "Oh, please. You wouldn't, like, understand," he drawled, and followed Hong Kong into the main room.

"_Kisama – watakushiha ni iku yo [You – I'm going to]_ –" Hokkaido growled, but then a single, catapulted piece of _maki _landed on her head and she broke off, slumping down onto the wood with an expression that could only be interpreted as, _why me?_

Meanwhile, Japan had managed to get Korea off of Kyushu. "Korea-san—please—" he grunted, arms wrapped around the Korean's torso. "Please—don't agitate Kyushu-san—"

"Oh, I don't mind, Japan-nii," Kyushu muttered, flushing. "Shouldn't we all go into the main room now?"

"Great idea, da-ze!" Korea chimed, easily clambering out of Japan's exhausted grip. He grabbed Kyushu's hand and pulled her towards where Shikoku and Hong Kong had already camped out, mercifully choosing to remove themselves from the chaos that had already been caused. "So, Kyu-ssi! I have some awesome new K-pop I want you to listen to, and some news about what's been happening over at my place too—uri nara mansae!—and we can continue those video game lessons—oh, don't listen to Nihon! He's just strict about that sort of thing—'suggestive content' isn't as bad as it sounds—have you heard the new Psy song? It's all over the Web, da-ze!"

Poor Kyushu was rendered speechless as Korea dragged her into the main room, still talking her ear off. Hokkaido and Japan were left in the foyer, Japan leaning against the wall and panting heavily and Hokkaido collapsed wearily on the floorboards, the platter of _maki _unfortunately squashed beneath her. Sighing at a volume that could probably be heard from the other side of the house, she tilted her head to look up at the Japanese nation, who resembled a war victim in the critical stage. "Why… is it that… every time… your family comes to visit… there's some sort of chaos… that happens?"

Japan shook his head, one hand shielding his eyes as if it could block out the rest of the world. "I'm not quite sure. But if I've learned anything… it must run in the family."

"Japan-nii?"

"Hai."

"Did China-san and Taiwan-san really have to run some errands? Could they really not come?"

An amused smile found its way onto Japan's face. "Most likely not. If I had to guess, I'd say they found an excuse to stay home—not unlike Honshu-kun, I suppose."

Hokkaido grimaced—or what looked like a cross between a grimace and a smirk. "Well played, bastards," she said, rolling over on the floor and off of the platter of flattened _maki_. "Well played."

…

**A/N: Gomen'nasai if anyone was OOC this chapter… I was kinda high on Hetalia and the Asian family at this point. Dawn96—if you're reading this—this chapter was for you! Check out her amazing fanfics, please—they are truly amazing!**

**Thanks for reading, and R&R, da-ze~!**


	4. Day 4 - Lingering

**A/N: Yo, people! I'm back with another chapter!**

… **Still no reviews. Really?**

**Okay, so I'm bringing a more angsty oneshot to you guys today, so I hope you're up for something different. Enjoy!**

…

**~Day 4 – Lingering~**

_It hurts._

Honshu could feel it in every crevice of his body; pounding in his veins, his fingers trembling, agony resonating deep in his forehead and throbbing at the base of his throat. He curled up on the ground and tried to focus on breathing as fire licked the ground around him, catching easily on the wooden structures lining every street of Hiroshima.

_It hurts. Oh God, it hurts._

The Japanese region tried to calm the rasping in his throat and took several deep breaths, trying to pretend that he liked the way the world spun dizzyingly around him. It didn't help—he could only imagine what his sister, Kyushu, felt, lost and alone, and brutally attacked by the Americans in the same way he had been. She had always been their cute little sister, after all. It was up to Honshu, Shikoku and Hokkaido to take care of her… though it seemed that he could no longer be there for any of them.

He bit his lip and rolled over, staring up at the sky—the smoke-filled sky. Around him, the occasional cry could still be heard, filled with sorrow and grief that ripped at Honshu's soul, and a toxic quality thickened the air, filling his lungs with poison. _So this is what it's like, huh? I always did think I would live forever, but… this pain…!_

The memory of the attack was as fresh in his mind as his injuries, smoke billowing into the air, screams echoing painfully in Honshu's head, collapsing to the ground as agony consumed his consciousness. It was unlike anything he had ever felt before; the suffering of millions compressed into a single, white-hot feeling searing itself into Honshu's skin, and a high-pitched shrieking in his ears. He shuddered at the very thought of it, his muscles tensing with a groan of protest. All he could think of—as cliché as it probably sounded—was his siblings, now. Honshu almost cracked a smile, though his chapped lips refused to cooperate. _I wonder what they'd think once I pass…_

Kyushu, he was certain, was as in as much pain as he was, if not more. It tore at Honshu's heart to think of their sensitive, gentle sister lying mangled on the ground, helpless at the hands of the Americans. Shikoku… he wasn't sure. His house and Kyushu's were rather close to each other, so perhaps he was feeling the bomb's effects as well. Or maybe he had been left untouched. Honshu was too dazed to wonder. Japan was no doubt in bad shape, even though he wouldn't have taken the entire blow. Their older brother was probably worrying about Honshu and Kyushu, even if he was most likely bedridden. And Hokkaido? If he had to guess, she was pacing back and forth ripping her hair out in chunks, muttering Japanese curses under her breath.

_Those idiots, _thought Honshu with a cracked sigh. He closed his eyes and focused on the feel of the asphalt underneath his mussed, dark hair, fingernails digging into the callused skin of his palm. The Japanese region could feel the spinning increasing in speed, and he pressed his lips together, exhausted. Perhaps he could sleep for a while and wake up later. Yes, that would be nice… and he was so tired…

…

_He was floating between heaven and Earth; his body weightless as a bird's, sounds and colors swirling around him in a network of silver threads. They crossed each other to create a vast, infinite web that stretched out in every direction, glimmering on the horizon and tangled between Honshu's fingers._

"_Where am I?" he voiced, but no one answered him—Honshu's inquiry merely melted off of his tongue and plunged through the clouds, leaving not even a hint of an echo behind. He was alone, here, in this desolate, ethereal landscape, not knowing whether it was some imaginary truth or simply a vision conjured from the chaotic recesses of his darkened mind._

_Looking around him, Honshu's gaze dropped to his feet, and he reeled, almost stumbling backwards—if there had been anything to stumble on, that was. The world spread itself beneath him—he could see the elegantly curved shape of his own country, as well as the glittering Sea of Japan and the coast of China far beyond. Birds floated beneath him, spreading their wings and soaring across the sky, and Honshu imagined that he could feel a breeze over the water, and the cry of seagulls._

"_I suppose I'll never get to hear any of that again," Honshu mused, sighing and sinking to his knees. He leaned against the cold, plush surface of a cloud and watched the world fly by below him. _

"_Ho—Honshu… nii?"_

_Honshu's head jerked up, and his eyes flew open. He had been sinking into unconsciousness—why? Had he just heard—_

"_Honshu-nii!"_

_A blur of black and red crashed into him, knocking Honshu backwards and sending a few pieces of cloud spinning into the air. Kyushu let out a dry, choking sob and nuzzled into his shirt, clutching her brother tightly. "I've been looking for you… I was so scared… It hurt so much…"_

"_It's… okay," Honshu stammered, gently, gradually returning the girl's embrace. She whimpered, and he enfolded her in his arms, blushing lightly. "It's okay. I don't know where we are, but we'll get back to the others. I promise."_

_Kyushu sat up and met his eyes with those familiar brown ones, filling Honshu with the same sense of warmth and security he knew so well. "I'm so sorry this happened. Weren't you frightened?"_

_Honshu had been frightened. He had been so scared he had felt as if he was drowning in it, choking on it—suffocating to death in fear's fatal embrace. But he would never admit any of that to Kyushu. "I was fine," he assured her. "I'm more worried about you."_

_He could see the masquerade of relief fall away, and a shell-shocked exterior poked through the remains. "I was scared," she admitted, moving closer to Honshu once more. "It hurt, Honshu-nii. My people were hurting and it hurt me, too. I wished I could do something." She shuddered. "But I couldn't do anything. I was powerless."_

_The older region studied her with gentle eyes. He sometimes forgot that however small she was, how innocent she acted or how childishly she depended on him, Kyushu was as old as he was. She had been through the same things he had, fought in the same wars, and experienced the same power-filled highs and defeated lows. And now, as he looked into her eyes, Honshu could see the same scars, the same reflections of horror and pain and death he knew would sear itself into his skin. They were one and the same._

"_I was just as helpless," he reminded Kyushu._

_She looked up at him and managed a weak smile. Honshu noted her sickly-looking complexion and trembling limbs. "Thank you... Honshu. I hope onii-san is okay."_

"_Me too." Without a shred of hesitation, Honshu reached out and pulled Kyushu close, feeling his neck turn bright red. He ignored his initial embarrassment as she shifted and leaned into his chest with a contented sigh. "Yoku nemuru, Honshu-nii."_

"_Yoku nemuru." Honshu smiled down at her. And then he drifted away._

…

"…shu! Honshu! _Honshu!_ Oh my God, oh my God…"

Honshu's eyes fluttered open. His pupils stung acidly and he blinked rapidly, trying to force the stars out of his vision. Hovering above him was a very familiar face… and then another familiar face? And he had had a dream, and there was Kyushu… oh, God. Kyushu. Just the thought of it set his heart pounding…

"_Shimatta [crap]_, he's turning red!" Hokkaido's recognizable shriek rang in his ears. "He's suffocating! Shikoku, _do _something!"

"Hey, shut up already!" came Shikoku's voice as he scowled at the female region. "He's probably just tired. Oi, Honshu! Can you hear me?"

"I can hear you just fine," Honshu croaked, and Hokkaido slumped with relief. "Stop talking, it's annoying."

"That's the Honshu we all know and sometimes love!" she cried, and he rolled his eyes as best he could.

Shikoku nudged her. "Ne. Shouldn't we get him back to Japan? Kyu-chan'll be sick with worry by now—"

"Kyushu's alright?" Honshu interrupted, ignoring the scraping in his throat at his sudden enthusiasm. "Shikoku, how is she?"

The younger boy shifted. "Um… fine. She's not in great shape, but she'll survive."

Hokkaido swatted his arm. "_Baka [idiot]_! That's the last thing he wants to hear! Honshu, she's fine. A little worse for wear, but you don't need to worry. We just need to get you back to Japan-nii's house as soon as possible. So, Koku, help me carry him already!"

"Don't call me Koku…"

Honshu felt his muscles tense. _Kyushu's alright._ He barely registered Hokkaido and Shikoku lifting him as best they could and struggling over the beaten-down terrain, past smoking rubble and the bodies of… Honshu didn't want to know. All he cared about was Kyushu's safety, and now that that had been assured… he closed his eyes and let his the sway of his siblings' support rock him to sleep, even if it was a childish thought. He really was so tired.

…

_Too many had died for him to count. _

_They told him the losses could have been worse. He didn't believe them._

_Japan had looked terrible that day; lying on the bed, breathing heavily, his brow beaded with sweat and his body laced with tremors. Kyushu… he knew the sight of her would be burned into his memory forever. There was blood. So much blood._

_The healers had informed him that the recovery would be long and hard. What they didn't anticipate was a long scar appearing the next day, curving from his collarbone to his lower back in the shape of, what one of them speculated, appeared to be the coast of Japan's largest island. He found it ironic, really. So many dead and dying, so much damage done, and only a scar to show._

_Kyushu's was identical, if not smaller._

_That day he lay staring up at the ceiling, listening to his siblings brewing tea and arguing over which leaves to use. Japan's relatives had taken turns visiting and keeping watch over him, and right now, he knew that China was at Japan's bedside, murmuring words of encouragement and hope. Not him, however. No one was at his side. He refused to let anyone see how far he'd fallen._

_How pathetic he'd become._

_He had sworn revenge on America. He had sworn a full and outstanding recovery, the likes of which no one would ever see. But he had also sworn something else, something he kept to himself—a promise he had made to keep for the rest of his immortal life._

_No one would ever hurt his little sister again. _No one.

…

**A/N: The atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was an incredibly disastrous move made by the American military force, and though I am proud of where I live, it is one time in history that I am ashamed of my people. I know it might have been a bold move to depict such a catastrophic event, and I hope the people reading this take it as a dedication to their losses. Japan, while not a country of my origin, is like a second home to me. And I wanted to do it justice for everything they had lost that day.**

**By the way, I don't know about you guys, but I ship HonKyu. That's why there's a little bit of fluff in here, though whether it's romantic or family can be left up to the reader. Also, this is my longest chapter so far. Proud? Sure as heck.**

**Oh, and one final note: the name of the chapter is "Lingering." That is referring to something such as "lingering on the edge of death, etc."**

**Have a nice day!**


	5. Day 5 - Readying

**A/N: Thirteen hours of sleep… and yet I'm still so tired. I think something's wrong with me.**

**Anyway, I see I've gotten one review so far. Thank you, RapunzelInTheSnow! Oh yeah, and thank you also to everyone who has followed and favorited so far. I hope I don't disappoint!**

…

**~Day 5 – Readying~**

Kyushu loved festivals. But Tanabata would always hold a special place in her heart.

She stood in front of the mirror and fingered a stray strand of dark hair that would not, no matter what, stay tucked into her bun. Kyushu's anime-esque brown eyes had been outlined lightly in eyeliner (Hokkaido's best—she had insisted on doing her younger sister's makeup), and her eyelashes, coated in mascara, were long and luxurious-looking. The tiniest layer of gloss had been applied to her lips so that they shimmered with a sweet hesitance, and Kyushu's fingernails were perfectly filed and polished until they practically glowed. She had always made it a priority to look her best, but now there was something different, almost mature, in her appearance, something she herself could never create. Naturally, it helped that Hokkaido had made most of her style choices… but now, gazing at herself through the glass, Kyushu saw something much more than what she knew to be her innocent, naïve self.

She was beautiful.

A knock sounded on the other side of the door, and Kyushu whirled around in alarm. The sash meant to be tied around her yukata still lay on the bed across the room, and she barely had time to draw the fabric around her before it opened fully and Honshu poked his head through, his voice heavy with indifference. "Kyushu, we're leaving soon, so if you would—"

He took in the scene and Kyushu's wide, startled eyes, and turned a color she had never seen before. "A-ah—oh—um—I'm—uh—sorry—er—oh—crap—"

While he continued to stammer, Kyushu felt her neck heating up and turned away, blushing. "That's okay, Honshu-nii… um, I'm sorry…"

"N-no… it's just…" There was a moment of silence and a loud thumping, of which Kyushu guessed was Honshu's forehead hitting the doorframe. "I'm really sorry… I'll, um, leave you to whatever…"

Kyushu squeezed the fabric balled up in her hand before she whipped her head around, just as Honshu began his retreat. "Wait! Um, wait, _kudasai [please]_… there's something, um…"

Honshu paused, still bright red. "Y-yeah?"

"Oh… it's just, uh…" Kyushu flushed deeper. "The sash is kind of hard to put on… will you…?"

The teenager blanched. "D-don't you need to tie it, first?"

She nodded. "I just can't reach the back of the sash… please?" As she spoke, Kyushu's hands tied the first sash (a thin piece of fabric, tied into a bow at her side) around her waist so that it held her yukata firmly in place.

"Um, sure, no problem…" Honshu made a vain attempt at a return to casual as he crossed the room and picked up the sash from Kyushu's bed. It was a delicate, light blue thing, with a pattern of leaves and flowers that nicely complimented the yukata's white scheme. "So… I bring it around… and then tie it into a bow… right?"

"Right." Kyushu didn't think she could turn any redder, and yet when Honshu's arms encircled her waist to put the sash in place, she almost fainted. "And then… just pull it tight… _hai_."

Kyushu could feel her hands trembling as her older brother's fingers rested lightly on her hips before drawing themselves to her lower back to tie the bow. She guessed he was as red as she was. "_A—arigato_. That's good."

Honshu stepped away, and she saw that he was, indeed, bright crimson. "Yeah. Sure. Whatever," he said awkwardly, almost tripping over his own yukata (red, with a yellow sash). "Um… we're ready whenever you are. Yeah. Just… meet us outside. Okay. Yeah." He withdrew as quickly as he had come and disappeared behind the closed door before she could say another word.

Kyushu slumped against the vanity, trying to calm the thumping in her chest. Why had she reacted… the way she had… to Honshu's touch? An older brother should be calm, soothing. But the way he had handled her—so delicately, as if she was porcelain—it set Kyushu's heart on fire and roared in her ears. What was going on? Had Shikoku's constant teasing actually gone somewhere?

Was she… in love?

The young region turned back around. Her sash had been tied perfectly.

…

"_Kyushu_! Thank God!" Shikoku moaned, collapsing overdramatically against the wall. "We've been waiting _forever_! Even Hokkaido-chan didn't take as long!"

"Hey, lay off of her," the aforementioned Hokkaido demanded angrily. The flower tucked carefully in her hair bobbed as she put her hands on her hips and glared down at the younger region. "Girls need their time! They actually _care _about their appearance, you know."

"Oh, really?" asked Shikoku sarcastically. "I hadn't noticed. What with the three layers of makeup and beehive on top of your head… I thought you were going casual."

"_Kono yaro [Bastard]_!" Hokkaido shrieked. Her hair was, indeed, done up in quite a hairstyle, but it formed an elegant knot on the top of her head, and Kyushu thought it looked nice. Her yukata was that of a pretty sky blue, with a green sash to match—much calmer and more soothing colors than the fiery region's personality could ever muster.

Shikoku, on the other hand, wore a deep purple yukata, one that he insisted "shows the fighting spirit of a true Japanese man!" instead of "girlish and tacky," which was Hokkaido's input. The red sash around his waist slipped and wavered dangerously as he and Hokkaido scuffled, almost toppling into Honshu—Honshu. Kyushu blushed as she met his eyes. His unruly dark hair fell partially over his eyes and created the same flyaway curl she knew so well—it was really more of a straight piece of hair that refused to flatten itself, but Honshu seemed to almost cherish it. Draped in the yukata's scarlet fabric, his hands flexed apprehensively as he locked eyes with her as well, looking away just as soon. Was he… embarrassed? Kyushu had always thought of Honshu as the untouchable type, the type that was never bothered by anything—a lot like Hong Kong-nii-san, in fact. But she supposed that he was just as vulnerable as her.

"_Minna-san [everyone]_, please listen," Japan called from the door. Kyushu recognized his simple navy blue yukata and purple sash as the same one he liked to wear around the house, though Tanabata only came once a year. "We're going to leave now and walk to the temple. Everyone needs to stay together and remember—" this was obviously directed at Hokkaido and Shikoku—"not to argue. _Onegai [please]_. Are we ready to go?"

Hokkaido looked up from keeping the cursing Shikoku in a headlock. "_Hai_, onii-san!"

"You idiots," Honshu sighed, brushing past Kyushu on his way to the door. He had seemed to have forgotten all about their awkward encounter in her bedroom. "Try not to ruin Tanabata for everyone else, okay?"

"R—ruin?!" Hokkaido and Shikoku's mouths fell open.

"Now, all three of you," Japan scolded. "Behave. And Kyushu-chan, are you coming?"

Kyushu gave a start and hurried to her older brother's side, almost tripping over her _geta_. "_Hai_!"

They set off down the stone path, stars glittering overhead and pebbles crunching underfoot. Japan had stationed himself between Hokkaido and Shikoku for obvious reasons, and since Honshu had lagged behind, Kyushu found herself walking beside him, trying to ignore the fact that her heart was speeding up again.

With her two siblings' irritated banter and Japan's attempts at keeping the peace filling the background, the younger region finally decided to speak. "Honshu-nii?"

"Yeah?" Honshu wouldn't meet her eyes.

"I'm sorry about earlier."

"You don't need to be sorry, Kyushu."

Kyushu blanched. It was one of the few times Honshu had actually addressed her by name, other than "nee-chan" and "Kyu," which had been his nickname for her when they were little. "Oh."

They walked in silence for a little while longer.

"Honshu-nii?"

"Yeah?" This time, he looked down at her. Kyushu could see the sky reflected in Honshu's dark eyes, as if the universe existed behind his pupils. "What is it?"

"I…" Kyushu could feel words piling up inside of her, so quickly and furiously that they threatened to choke her. "I just…"

"Kyushu?" There was the name again. Honshu furrowed his eyebrows in concern. "Are you okay?"

"Fine, I just…" Kyushu swallowed and reached out to clasp her brother's fingers. He drew back in shock for a moment, but something in his eyes softened, and his hand tightened around hers.

"I hope you have a wonderful Tanabata!"

…

**A/N: How can you NOT ship HonKyu? They're just so cute. So cute.**

**Do you guys ship any of my OCs? Do you ship ANYONE? Let me know in the reviews, 'kay~?**

**Ciao!**


	6. Day 6 - Filming

**A/N: Merry Christmas! I'm sorry this is a day late, but I had a very busy day yesterday! What with receiving presents, and all… muahahaha~ Enjoy this Christmas special by the regions of Japan!**

**Also—VanessaLB, I am working on your chapter! It should be up January 10****th****!**

…

"Testing, _ichi, ni, san_! Is this thing on?"

Hokkaido's eyes filled the screen as she peered into the lens, reaching out to tap inquiringly at the glass. "How do you know if it's recording?" she mumbled, frowning.

"_Baka_!" Shikoku's voice yelped. "You're blocking the camera! Get your big face out of the lens so that everyone can see us!"

"_What was that_?"

"Eep!"

A blur of dark hair and fury leaped off screen and Kyushu moved into view, hands clasped as she smiled sweetly at the camera. "_Minna-san, kon'nichiwa_!" she chirped, making a slight bow. "Today we have a special treat for all of the readers! This is the _Yuāzu _Christmas special!"

"Ah, Kyushu… you forgot to thank them." Honshu skulked into the background, an aura of gloom surrounding him.

"Oh—right!" Kyushu's eyes widened. "We'd like to thank all of you who are reading our story! RapunzelInTheSnow-san has been very kind in particular to review!" she continued, nodding eagerly. "_Arigato-gozaimashita_!"

"And to all the followers and favorites so far!" Hokkaido appeared back on-screen, a frazzled-looking Shikoku behind her. "You have all been very considerate!"

Shikoku groaned. "Good God, you two sound like a pair of Christmas greeting cards. Japan-nii could do better."

"Oh, _hai_… where is onii-san?" Kyushu asked quickly, trying to quell a livid Hokkaido.

He shrugged. "Something about 'not good with cameras' and 'Hetalia anime project.' I have no idea. Speaking of which, what's up with him?" This was said with a jerk of the finger towards Honshu, who seemed completely and utterly defeated.

"Oh, him?" Hokkaido giggled. "He's been sulking ever since the chapter with… ehehehe… _HonKyu_." She dissolved into a fit of laughter.

"_Iya [Disgusting]_!" Shikoku recoiled, while Kyushu blushed heavily and hurried to change the subject.

"_Ano_… I have a question," she said, raising a finger in the air. "Isn't this technically breaking the… _eto_… fourth wall?"

Both Hokkaido and Shikoku froze, while Honshu slumped against the set background. "Yeah, but—"

Before he could finish his sentence, a bell chimed out of nowhere. All four regions looked up as a woman's soothing voice began to speak.

"_This is an announcement_."

"_Hey, everyone~_!"

"Author-san!" Hokkaido suddenly looked faint.

The new voice laughed. "_That's me! Everyone enjoying the Christmas special?_"

"Definitely!" Kyushu hopped up and down. "Mio-san, I thought you weren't going to make an appearance?"

"_Well, I'm not 'appearing_,' _am I_?"

"That's true…" Shikoku murmured.

"_Anyway, I'd like to answer Kyu-chan's question! This is, in fact, breaking the fourth wall, what with my little announcement and our special recording, but since I said it was okay, it's okay~! Oh, and also…_" Mio giggled, as if a wonderfully devilish idea had just occurred to her. "_I would like to change the topic of conversation to the upcoming Shikaido chapter! That is all_!"

The intercom went dead.

"Screw you, Mio…" Hokkaido muttered.

Kyushu looked interested. "Ah, was that the consultation I wasn't allowed to go to? The directors said that Honshu-nii and I wouldn't need to be involved."

"That's the one!" Shikoku replied cheerfully.

"_Don't act so nonchalant_!"

Honshu managed a faint smile of satisfaction. "That's what you two get for teasing me about Kyushu and I…"

"Shut up!" yelled Hokkaido, who had begun to blush even harder than said younger region. "We're just going to be acting! That's all!"

"Oh, really…" A look of pure mischievousness found its way onto Shikoku's face. "And I suppose you were _acting _when you were chatting it up with Taiwan-nee-san about how you're _so _excited about dancing with me at the party…"

"SHUT UP!" Hokkaido shrieked, and Honshu plugged one of his ears. "I did _not _say that!"

"Um… everyone… don't you think we should get back to the segment?" Kyushu asked hesitantly.

"For once, I agree." Honshu nodded.

"Okay, fine," Hokkaido decided, shooting daggers at Shikoku. She turned to the camera, smiling brilliantly. "We're going to have lots of fun today, everyone~! We'll begin the special with our first order of business… _singing Christmas carols_!" she yelped, waving a list in her hand.

Shikoku snickered. "Author's decision. She says it, we've got to do it. _Juchū wa juchūdearu [Orders are orders]_."

Kyushu's eyes brightened. "I love Christmas carols! Which one should we sing? Oh—Honshu-nii—you'll sing as well, right?"

Honshu jerked his head up, gloom evaporating and embarrassment filling its spot. "_N-n-n-nani [what]_?"

"C'mon~!" Hokkaido looked as if she had finally found someone to evoke her revenge on. "Author-san_ said_! Plus, you wouldn't want to disappoint the HonKyu shippers, right?" she added, smirking, as Shikoku toppled over with laughter.

"HonKyu?" asked Kyushu confusedly, and Honshu moaned.

"Fine, I'll do it!" he grumbled, standing up from the stool he had been sitting on. "But no solos."

"Don't give me any ideas," choked Shikoku from the floor.

"Okay!" chimed Hokkaido, satisfied. "Now that that's settled, I vote the Twelve Days of Christmas! It's my favorite holiday song!"

"I like that one!" Kyushu chirped at the same time Shikoku got over his fit of mirth and got to his feet, frowning.

"That one's _boring, _though," he complained. "It goes on _forever_. Can't we do something else?"

"Absolutely not!" Hokkaido declared. She put her hands on her hips and grinned. "We're singing that one! Now everyone get ready!"

Honshu slapped a palm to his forehead. "Here we go."

Their energetic sister sucked in a huge breath and began.

"_On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me… a peach in a sakura tree_!"

"Um, that's not how it goes…" Honshu interjected, only to be interrupted by Kyushu as she joined in.

"_On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me_," they sang. "_Two shōjo mangas and a peach in a sakura tree_!"

Shikoku blanched. "What version is this?!"

"_On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me… three onigiri, two shōjo mangas and a peach in a sakura tree_!"

"… This is going to go on for a while, isn't it?"

"_On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me… four singing geisha, three onigiri, two shōjo mangas and a peach in a sakura tree_!"

Both Hokkaido and Kyushu paused to take a breath, then looked at each other and grinned.

"_On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me… fiiiiiive j-pop CDs! Four singing geisha, three onigiri, two shōjo mangas and a peach in a sakura tree_! _On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me_—"

"OKAY, THAT'S ENOUGH!" Shikoku exploded.

Hokkaido halted and scowled, crossing her arms over her chest. "Oi! But we haven't even gotten to the verse about Project Diva yet!"

"Too bad, your singing was annoying me," Honshu droned, and then, "A—ah, Kyushu! But you sounded great!"

Rolling his eyes, Shikoku sighed. "Can we just get on to the next event already?" He snatched the list from Hokkaido and scanned it, eyes brightening. "Okay, next up we've got a… gingerbread-making contest!" he proclaimed.

_Five minutes later…_

"Ta-da!" Hokkaido put her hands on her hips and patted her creation proudly on the head. It was a full-size _maneki-neko _made entirely out of gingerbread, complete with a moving beckoning paw. "Beat that, Koku!"

"Are you sure?" With a flourish, Shikoku yanked a white cloth off of his full-scale model of the Tokyo Tower, featuring realistically blinking lights and an antenna that quivered almost entirely by itself.

Meanwhile, Kyushu smiled sheepishly down at her clumsily made gingerbread cottage, reaching out to adjust the sliding chimney. "I guess I'm not a very good gingerbread-house maker," she sighed, shrugging. "That's okay, right, Honshu-nii?"

"R-right," Honshu stammered, hurrying to hide his intricately designed gingerbread iPod behind his back.

Hokkaido and Shikoku had just begun to bicker about who had won when yet another bell chimed, signaling—"This is an announcement," the same voice from before proclaimed.

"_Yo~!_"

"Ah, it's Mio-san again," Shikoku noted.

"_The one and only_," the author giggled. "_So, we've sung Christmas carols and made gingerbread houses! Now it's time for our last event of the day_!"

"Already?!" Hokkaido moaned, while Honshu and Shikoku slumped in relief.

"_Yeah… gomen'nasai, everyone! So with that, my trusty assistant Nekomira will now deliver the final activity_!"

A panel in the wall opened, and a cat walked in, a green and red bow tied around her neck with a letter attached. She shrugged it off onto the ground and darted back through the wall.

"_Thanks, Nekomira! Mio out_!"

Honshu sighed. "So what is it now?"

"Don't be like that!" Kyushu scolded, as Shikoku got up and checked the letter. His face turned bright red and then he began to sputter and choke with laughter.

"What is it?! What?!" Hokkaido snatched it out of his hand and read it aloud.

"_One of the girls must dress up in a Santa outfit, courtesy of Nekomira_."

Just then, the same cat reappeared out of nowhere, toting a package. Honshu picked it up and unwrapped it, his face flushing crimson. "You're kidding."

"Of course not!" Shikoku chortled. "We can't have a Christmas special without some cosplay! Hokkaido-chan~!"

Hokkaido shook her head. "No way! I'm not doing it!"

"Aw, c'mon…"

A frightening purple aura surrounded the oldest of the female regions and she craned her neck to look down at Shikoku, who had fallen to the floor with laughter once again. "_What was that_?"

"Déjà vu! Déjà vu! EEEP!" Shikoku crawled under the table and hid behind Honshu's chair.

"Um…" Kyushu raised a hand. "I'll… um… do it…"

"Wha—no—Kyushu—you don't—" Honshu sputtered. Hokkaido turned her attention away from the cowering Shikoku and something evil sparked in her eyes.

"Yeah, Kyushu," she said with a devilish smile. "How about we give the viewers something interesting?"

"Um—_ano_—okay—"

"Ga—_gah, Kyushu_!"

…

"So… what do I do now?" Kyushu asked, reaching up with one hand to bat at the puffball at the end of her hat and pulling down the hem of her dress with the other. Magically, it had appeared to fit perfectly, to Hokkaido's satisfaction.

"Um… go hug Honshu!" Shikoku suggested, as Honshu turned bright red and started sputtering curses.

Hesitantly, Kyushu edged over to her brother and stood up on her tiptoes as she shyly wrapped her arms around him, blushing heavily. Honshu had been rendered entirely speechless by this time and flushed an even darker shade of crimson as he looked down at his little sister, who looked just as embarrassed as he was.

Hokkaido whipped out a camera and began snapping pictures.

"Perfect, perfect! More for the HonKyu viewers!" she declared as Shikoku howled with laughter.

"I'm not going to—" Honshu began furiously, but Kyushu broke away before he could and turned away, wrapping her arms around herself.

"I'm done!" she mumbled, still blushing. "That's all!"

"Aww..."

"Hey, Shikoku, come check out these pictures! I think I'll save them to my computer!"

"NO!"

"Ah—please don't fight!"

"Hey—GIVE ME THAT—!"

"Don't step on me!"

"Someone just crushed my gingerbread…"

"And that's all for the Christmas special! Thank you!"

…

**Omake:**

"So, you know, that was kinda cool."

"You think?"

"Duh, that's what I just said, _baka_."

"_Eto_… I enjoyed it as well!"

"Even the HonKyu part~?"

"GYAH! _Shut up, Shikoku_!"

"Honestly, honestly! I was just kidding!"

"So… about this pairings thing… you know someone requested a Shikaido chapter, right~?"

"…_What_?"

"_Eeep_!"


End file.
